Minton Rooster

Artisan: Robert Olszewski
Date: 1988
Inscriptions: Stamped with artist’s printed ‘signature’ and further stamped ‘Goebel USA 1988 606-P’ (on the underside)
Dimensions: 25 x 20 x 11 mm. / 1 x ⅞ x ½ inches (height x width x depth)
Intended Room: Parlour
Inventory number: 2022.135

Provenance: Purchased via eBay in April 2022.

First issued in 1988, this Robert Olszewski figurine has the Goebel Studio catalogue number 606-P and was made in a non-numbered limited edition of 7,500. It was inspired by a porcelain rooster created by the Minton China Company in England in around 1870, although (as happened with some of his other figurines as well) Robert worked from a photograph in a book, rather than the original. The subject allowed him to show off his skill at fine detail, laboriously outlining the rooster’s layers of feathers and glamorous sweep of tail. The strange structure beside the rooster, which I originally thought was a very small castle (because why not?) actually seems to be some kind of feeding trough, as there’s blue water inside for the rooster to drink. This is part of Robert’s Historical Series.

Most of the other figurines will sit together in the Breakfast Room, but this has stronger colours and a more robust quality… not to mention that the farmyard subject might look rather strange amid the more classical subjects in the Breakfast Room. I think this piece will end up in the Parlour, alongside studio pottery and other bright Arts and Crafts pieces.

The figurine has the Goebel studio stamp on the base, along with date ‘1988’ and studio number 606-P. As usual, Robert’s signature is added in a ‘handwritten’ font around the main studio stamp.